Jacob Riis Park Beach

Jacob Riis Park Beach

Jacob Riis Beach in Rockaway-about two hours from Manhattan by subway and bus-has been an unofficial LGBT hub for years. The party tends to stay on the eastern edge of the beach, where there are BBQ stations and a few bathrooms. There's not much else to do besides enjoy the sun and sand, but there is a 1932 Art Deco bathhouse on the boardwalk that's worth a look.